Chanel Acquires France’s Oldest Shirtmaker Charvet
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French luxury fashion house Chanel acquired France’s oldest shirtmaker Charvet in July. Sibling co-directors Jean-Claude and Anne-Marie Colban continue to lead the heritage brand from its long-standing boutique on Place Vendôme in Paris, offering classic tailored shirts and ties.
The move comes alongside milestone anniversaries and executive transitions across independent fashion labels. British brand YMC is celebrating 30 years since its first collection, with creative director Sage Toda-Nation directing design alongside co-founder Jimmy Collins after joining in 2024 following the death of co-founder Fraser Moss.
Wholesale Networks and Direct Market Entry
In retail, South London store Suntosons launched in 2025 under founder Keita Hiraoka, formerly of Beams Japan and Trunk, while in Southeast Asia, former Mall Group executives founded retail venue Friend Friend in summer 2025 inside Bangkok’s Emporium shopping mall.
South Korean fashion exports have gained commercial traction across Tokyo and Shanghai, helped by consumer demand for unisex silhouettes and neutral palettes. Direct market entry allows brand owners to retain higher gross margins compared to pure wholesale distribution, which often discounts unsold seasonal inventory through third-party stockists.
Mass Market Scale and Regional Supply Chains
At the top of the market by volume, Fast Retailing’s Uniqlo is projecting annual sales of 3.9 trillion yen, equivalent to 20.8 billion euros, keeping pace with global fast-fashion operators Inditex and H&M Group. The Japanese retailer is using functional outerwear, including padded blousons with checked linings, to anchor seasonal volume across its Asian store network.
“In Bangkok, retail venture Friend Friend opened inside a converted car park at The Mall Group’s Emporium shopping complex at 622 Sukhumvit Road.”
Independent designers across the region are also integrating domestic textile manufacturing into global wholesale networks. Seoul-based designer Jiyong Kim, an LVMH Prize semi-finalist in 2024 who trained at Louis Vuitton and Lemaire, supplies Dover Street Market in Singapore and Paris, 10 Corso Como in Seoul, and GR8 in Tokyo with sun-weathered and light-responsive fabrics.
Repurposing Mall Real Estate in Southeast Asia
Retail formats in Southeast Asia are shifting space away from conventional department store layouts toward multi-use commercial hubs. In Bangkok, retail venture Friend Friend opened inside a converted car park at The Mall Group’s Emporium shopping complex at 622 Sukhumvit Road.
Former Mall Group executives Suchada Peanpiriya, Worapun Sinakhom and Tanchanok Thitisaksakul established the venue in 2025, mixing workshops, food service and lifestyle merchandise. The floor plan stocks local ceramics from Bangkok’s Aoon Pottery alongside Sekisaka tableware from Japan and Kent hairbrushes from Britain, demonstrating how mall operators are converting underutilised square footage to drive foot traffic.
Niche Manufacturing and Technical Commuter Lines
Specialist Asian apparel makers are targeting functional categories to build export niches. In Japan’s Tokai region, Gifu-based commuter brand Ketta developed cycle-ready formalwear, adding cuff fasteners to suit trousers to prevent gear snags during urban commutes.
Cross-border production partnerships are supporting this technical shift. Japanese label Comoli paired with Italian outerwear house Ten C, overseen by Federico Melchioli, to manufacture a nine-piece black collection blending Japanese flannel with humidity-responsive jersey textiles. In South London, former Beams Japan buyer Keita Hiraoka founded appointment-only showroom Suntosons in 2025, contracting garment factories in Japan to produce heavyweight denim fatigue jackets for European buyers.
Commercial landlords and multi-brand buyers across Shanghai and Tokyo are now reviewing autumn order books as Recto finalises its opening retail locations in both territories.
Questions & Answers
Q.Which executives continue to lead Charvet after the acquisition by Chanel?
Which executives continue to lead Charvet after the acquisition by Chanel?
Sibling co-directors Jean-Claude and Anne-Marie Colban continue to lead the heritage brand. They operate from its long-standing boutique on Place Vendôme in Paris, offering classic tailored shirts and ties to customers.
Q.What is Uniqlo's projected annual sales figure, and how does it compare to other global fast-fashion operators?
What is Uniqlo's projected annual sales figure, and how does it compare to other global fast-fashion operators?
Uniqlo is projecting annual sales of 3.9 trillion yen, equivalent to 20.8 billion euros. This figure keeps pace with other global fast-fashion operators, specifically Inditex and H&M Group.
Q.How are retail formats in Southeast Asia changing, according to the article?
How are retail formats in Southeast Asia changing, according to the article?
Retail formats in Southeast Asia are shifting away from traditional department store layouts. They are moving towards multi-use commercial hubs, as demonstrated by the Friend Friend venture in Bangkok.
Q.Who founded the retail venture Friend Friend in Bangkok and when did it open?
Who founded the retail venture Friend Friend in Bangkok and when did it open?
Former Mall Group executives Suchada Peanpiriya, Worapun Sinakhom, and Tanchanok Thitisaksakul established the venue. Friend Friend opened in summer 2025 inside Bangkok’s Emporium shopping mall.
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